Aug 01, 2011

Hiker falls to death on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park

Hayley LaFlamme, of San Ramon, Calif., plummeted about 600 feet from the cabled route on the granite monolith. The incident is under investigation but thunderstorms were in the vicinity most of Sunday morning and the incident occurred at about noon.

Stormy weather makes for extremely hazardous conditions. Those planning to climb Half Dome should consult a web page set up by the park to show how to prepare for the endeavor.

The last hiker to have died on Half Dome was Majoj Kumar, also from San Ramon, on June 13, 2009. The most recent fatal accident on Half Dome's cabled route before that was in 2007.

Even if the cable snapped, there are the 2 x 4's across the "trail" supported by the metal posts. The route is gnarly for the average hiker and have seen people turn around at the base (especially after sitting at the bottom watching). Whatever the cause, I am sorry for her family and the friends that may have watched it happen.

Haley was a lovely precious young woman who accidently fell to her death while climbing down Half Dome while cabled. She slipped on a wet rock, the cable snapped and she fell 600 feet to her death. What a tragedy. How could the cable have snapped?